For travellers looking for a unique Thanksgiving experience, travel booking experts recommend setting their sights abroad.
According to a new report from booking site Going.com, international airfares are often discounted due to a large increase in domestic travel during the holiday,
“It’s a time of feast domestically and famine internationally. What do airlines do to fill all those planes to Paris, Cancun and Barcelona? Simple: slash fares,” says Going.com founder Scott Keyes in the report.
The report advises that while travellers can get deals over Thanksgiving week, fares start to rise in mid-December as the Christmas and New Year holidays see a higher volume of international travellers.
A spokesperson for Going.com highlighted deals from Washington D.C. to Dublin for $360, Chicago to Paris for $485 and Los Angeles to Barcelona for $549 during Thanksgiving week.
T+L also tested the theory using Google Flights and found Thanksgiving week deals from New York’s JFK Airport to Dublin for $551, London for $561 and Paris for $599.
Hotels and resorts around the world appear to be capitalising on the travel trend by offering unique experiences for travellers seeking an international Thanksgiving.
In Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal will offer a traditional Thanksgiving menu at its Don Manuel’s restaurant, in addition to a Thanksgiving toast and A Taste of Patrón tasting.
In the Dominican Republic, Eden Roc Cap Cana will host both a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and a Thanksgiving BBQ under the stars. Guests will also have the opportunity to participate in a turkey treasure hunt and other special activities.
In 2022, the TSA screened more than 12 million passengers at airports during the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.